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» Going directly from idea to coded design to show client.

I’ve been reading more and more people who are really advocates for showing clients coded designs and never Photoshop/Fireworks files. Their biggest reason for this is the fonts. You can really never get accurate font preview in a Photoshop file as compared to the final web result. This is an argument that I fully buy. It’s pointless to try to show how a design will look with fonts in a web browser, but in a jpeg file instead.

The real main con, as I see it, with this method is that it is going to take a little more time. It does mainly depend on how fast of a coder you are. It’s so much simpler just to send of a jpeg file to a client with the design in, have them change their mind as usual and then code it. To me that seem like the most logical order (perhaps since I’m used to it by now), partly probably because I’m working faster in Photoshop than I code.

There is perhaps a mid-range option here. What you’ll do is that you do the design in Photoshop as usual, save out a jpeg file (with no fonts) and then just quickly place a floating, absolute div over the jpeg file, previewing how the fonts would look on your design.

I want to bring up just another bit as well; my personal experience with this. I must say I’ve yet to get a client that complains when they get their final version that it differed like the one I showed “before”. If most people know it is sample, or don’t care about the change, I don’t dare to speculate in just now but it gets me thinking if I really need to put that much energy into finding a solution to a thing that isn’t super broke.

In the end, my opinion about this on the whole, is that if you are a quick coder. By all means, do show clients a coded version if the coding for you is one of the heavy parts, then don’t. Showing the designs in a jpeg file seems to work and I’m not sure how much difference it would mean to clients if you showed the coded one.

Now, if Adobe would just get an option in the type tool to render the text as a web browser does, I’d be much happier…
 

» The importance of showing your photos to the subject!

In many forms of photography you are shooting different persons and scenes with said persons in them. Many times those persons (again, at least in some forms of photography) will be people you don’t know much. If you get them to agree to be in a photo definitely make sure to show them the photos you take of them, maybe even in-between a shot. This will make them even more relaxed in your photos, as they now know that you take good photos.

Another essential thing if you are say, taking photos in a scenic restaurant, is that you send them some photos afterwards. They have let you shoot their place for free and have you there, so it’s only natural that you send them some of your photos as thanks. It’s only going to benefit you in the long run.

You might argue with me here.
“What if they put those photos up for display in their place? They would build up reputation on that and you would’ve done that for free.”
Nevertheless, what I suggest is that you should do this, because it’ll only be good for you in the end. Consider it this way instead, a lot of people see your photos (they might have your name on) and they ask the staff of the place who took them. They’ll refer them to you. Obviously if you frame them with your name and border around, you’ll get more exposure.

My point with all this is relatively simple. Show the photos you take of your subject, to your subject and even send some to them afterwards. It’s only going to build the bond connecting your subject and yourself, which in turn might lead to future shoots as well, because you were so accommodating and kind.
 

» Using WordPress as content management system

WordPress is not just a blogging platform even though many do seem to think so. In fact there are a lot more sites that are powered using WordPress than you’d initially think, some that you’d never even imagine being WordPress sites. The fact is that using WordPress as a CMS system as not as hard at all as it’s equipped (along with plugins) to handle it really well.

» Landscapes in general – Tips on shooting!

There are lots of things you can say about landscape photography and how to shoot them and I’ll start off by saying that everyone has their own ideas on what makes the best landscape photograph. I’m trying with this article, to outline some tips and tricks that most landscape photographers can agree on and some tips that I’ve learnt myself while being out in the field.

There are some equipment that really helps to have when you are shooting landscapes. Some of it you could do on the computer but it will degrade the quality and really, doing it in the field is much more fun anyway and usually renders a better quality.

A Tripod is a must most of the times in the landscape environment because of a few things really. Many times you’ll be in the early or late hours of the day when you’ll be working with slower shutter speeds that you cannot hand-hold. However it is not only that; it is also so that you can work with the frame in a more advanced way. Composition can be thought about because the camera stays in place while you zoom, think, add filters or generally change settings and take multiple exposures. This all makes the tripod an essential asset.

Filters are really underestimated in this day. Most think that sure, we can add them after in Photoshop or similar programs. I would say that the person who is sure of that probably either don’t know enough about Photoshop or enough about photography. Let me take two types of filters that you can’t replace. Lets first start with the Graduated Neautral Density filter. To selectively darken a part of the frame is genious. It works especially well for sky and so on. Another filter is the ND, Neutral Density. It allows us to slow down the shutter speeds in broad daylight or at sunset to get nice effects on mainly water.

If we leave the equipment for a bit, because really a tripod and filters are really the most important (apart from the lenses etc.) accessories. Should we now move into a little more of the techniques on getting the photo we want in the end, because that’s what really matters, we would start with a very simple tip.

So my first tip for you is to get down low. Whether you have fancy equipment or the small compact camera this is gonna do a lot of difference and it is really what makes the better from the worse snapshots. Just kneeling down, getting down and dirty with the ground can make a photograph so much better! Try it, it costs hardly anything (just bring a plastic bag if it is moist).

The next tip is probably going to sound pretty silly at first but try it! If I go out to shoot a beautiful landscape I might be so focused up in just the landscape and the view that I either knew I was coming for, or saw the first. The tip here is to look for more. Look around. There might be good details to isolate in the field using a telezoom lens. Landscapes doesn’t have to be wide-angle. Also look closer, maybe there is a small insect of some sort or a nice looking flower that would get lost in a wide-angle composition. This is really a big topic just to look for other things in a scene and not to be afraid of differing. Most shoot landscapes with wide-angle lenses, do differ and shoot with a telezoom or midrange prime and experiment. Your photos will probably end up more unique than the other guy’s.

There is something obvious which needs to get written here and that’s obviously about the light. Photography is all about the light and landscapes are definitely not an exception at all.  If you are new to this you may or may not have heard about shooting in the golden hours by sunrise or sunset when the colours are most pleasing. Don’t let that lure you into never going out shooting on other hours. Instead, learn to capture photos at the other times of the day, still doing landscapes. It can be done but it is just a bit harder. One of the main things people usually do if they are forced into shoting in the midday is to go black and white. Sure, even black and white is easier in the golden hours but it does work good when the sun is high on the sky. Again, experiment and try to be different, that’s what makes or breaks you as a landscape photographer.

Another thing to try with landscape photography is HDR. When you don’t have much of a scene it may be very useful to at least try an HDR bracketing because it can help the shot a lot and make it into a pretty good one. Just don’t overdo it. Keep it real!

I think I’ve covered the main things in landscape photography while still leaving the creativity up to you. I’m not going to tell you here how to capture that wonderful effect that everyone else does, instead leave you to try that yourself. However, be wary of the light. Photograpy is all about light and looking at a flat image is not nice.

As a final part, get out there, shoot wary and good luck in the capturing!

» Saturday Article: How to handle client contact?

It’s a very vital part of the web designers daily routine and a very important one. It’s all about handeling the client contact in the right way so that you’ll end up scoring the jobs you want and making sure you have happy customers at the end of the day that are willing to refer you to potential new clients, the best free advertising.

You can definitely divide client contact into a couple of different categories. Here I’m going to focus on client contact over the web and internet and not so much over the phone. Why you may ask? Well, mainly because myself, I don’t speak a lot on the phone with my clients because it is easier to portray thoughts etc. through text and images on the computer. The one time I may speak with a customer over the phone etc. may be when they are signing up and we might be discussing the start of a project.

» The key to getting good sunset photos!

When you are browsing through some of the photography communities online you see quite a lot of photographs of sunsets with their photographers wondering why their photographs are not getting the same amount of reaction as others. Most of the time, it has not got anything to do with big trade secrets but actually quite a few simple things you can do to make your sunsets better.

» What makes a good web design?

I was inspired by a question over at the NAPP Forums by a member asking how you can define a good website design. Now this question got me thinking a fair bit, because it is a complex subject and not only is that because we have different personal taste, but also because it is changing constantly. What was a good design four years ago when I started in web design is not considered a good design anymore. This makes it a quite tough subject and I want to open up for your thoughts on this as well because it is quite intriguing the subject.